Remote control and indication system for electrical devices

ABSTRACT

A remote control and indication system for an electric device (20, 22) in a sanitary environment comprises: at least one light carrier (42; 50) for indicating operational status information about the electric device to a user present in the sanitary environment, a first end (43) of said light carrier receiving light from at least one light source (46; 56a-b) in response to the operational status of the electric device; and control means (40; 52) for controlling at least one function of the electric device (20, 22), said control means being connected by at least one pneumatic or hydraulic pressure line (41; 51) to the electric device. The control means (40; 52) and a second end (44) of the light carrier (42; 50) are adjacently arranged at a position in the sanitary environment, which is visible and accessible to the user.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a remote control and indication systemfor an electric device in a sanitary environment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In our modern society electricity is used as a power source for almostall kinds of applications. In our daily lives we constantly come acrosselectricity, often without even noticing it. The above is particularlytrue in our homes, in which electrical applications are well-known withrespect to lighting and heating as well as operation of all kinds ofelectrical devices. It should be obvious to all of us, that the use ofelectrical power sources requires a certain amount of caution withregard to the risks connected to such use. For instance, shortedelectrical lines may generate sparks or heat, which may lead to a fire.Furthermore, the human body is--as well as other livingorganisms--sensitive and vulnerable, if electric current is allowed toflow through it as a consequence of e.g. a short circuit or a groundfault. For this reason the use of electricity is surrounded by variouslaws, rules, and regulations.

In certain areas the risks of accidents are higher than usual. Suchareas are e.g. production and distribution of electrical power, whichinvolves very high voltages. This is true also for many industrialapplications. A field most private people get into contact with issanitary environments, such as bathrooms, steam saunas, laundry rooms,or other wet rooms. The increased risks of personal injuries or evendeaths as a consequence of electrical accidents in such sanitaryenvironments are due to the potentially dangerous combination of asubstantially naked human body and the presence of water, which in somecases is a fairly good conductor of electric current.

An example of an electric mains-operated device in a sanitaryenvironment is a pump motor, which is arranged to pump air-mixed waterjets through jet outlets in a whirlpool or a bubble bath tub. Otherexamples are the steam generator in a steam sauna, various types ofheating devices, etc.

According to present regulations for sanitary environments the differentpositions of switches, actuators or controls must be visibly indicated.In some cases such indication may be carried out by marking thedifferent positions of e.g. a rotary switch by means of digits orletters. In other cases, e.g. when it comes to different kinds of pushbuttons or touch controls, indication must be carried out in anotherway, for example by means of a light emitting diode.

Hence, in the bubble bath tub example, it must be indicated to anyperson present, that a pump motor used in the actual application isoperating. Such indication may be realised by turning on and off,respectively, a light source mounted e.g. on the edge of the bath tub inresponse to the pump motor being in operation or not. However, accordingto the existing regulations, it is not permitted to directly supply theindication light source mentioned above, which is within reach of a userof the bubble bath, with power from a mains voltage of e.g. 230 V, whichis used by the pump motor. The reason for this is obvious; such a mainsvoltage could cause highly dangerous and even lethal currents in case ofan electric fault such as a short circuit. Instead, the regulationsstate that devices, which are within reach of a bathing person, may onlybe connected to so called extra-low protection voltage of maximum 12V.Furthermore, the power source must be mounted in areas or zones allowedin the regulations.

For similar reasons the actuators or control means for controlling thepump motor operation may only be driven by a low voltage. Hence, it ispreviously known to arrange a down transforming means between amains-operated heavy current source and the indication and controlmeans. Such transforming means may be realised as a circuit board,comprising a transformer for 12V DC. However, such a solution requirescomponents, which are both expensive and space-consuming.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,789 discloses an electronic microcomputer-controlledbathing system, where the safety of the user is assured by fibre-opticalremote control. Electrically safe optical control means are arranged atthe bathing location within reach of the user. The optical control meansare preferably optical touch switches operating by the amount of lightreflected from the user's finger tip. Optical fibres connect the opticalcontrol means to the electronic controller, which controls variousbathing functions and parameters, such as valves, pumps, waterconditions, etc. Although satisfactory with regard to safety aspects,the system has major drawbacks when it comes to cost and complexity. Forinstance, the use of an electronic microcomputer-based controller withfibre-optical interfaces implies expensive components as well asdifficulties regarding the integration with other parts of the system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object with the present invention to provide a remote controland indication system for an electric device in a sanitary environment(e.g. a water pump motor for a bubble bath). In particular the presentinvention is directed at a non-electric remote control and indicationsystem, which may be realised without any need for expensive componentsand which hence may be manufactured at a substantially lower cost thanpreviously known systems.

The object of the invention is achieved by a system with featuresaccording to the appended independent patent claims. Preferredembodiments of the invention are disclosed in the successive dependentclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail in the following withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is schematic view of a bubble bath tub and a water pump when usedtogether with the system according to the invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates a previously known arrangement for controlling andindicating the operational status of a mains-operated device in asanitary environment, such as a water pump in a bubble bath system,

FIG. 3 is a side view of a first preferred embodiment of the remotecontrol and indication system according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a top view of a transparent display and control emblem used inthe embodiment according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an indication light source arrangementused in the embodiment according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a combined indication light source andpneumatic control arrangement used in a second preferred embodimentaccording to FIG. 7,

FIG. 7 is a side view of a second preferred embodiment of the remotecontrol and indication system according to the invention,

FIG. 8 is a top view of a transparent display and control emblem used inthe embodiment according to FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a combined indication and control meansused in the embodiment according to FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a top view of a transparent emblem for indication of aplurality of bathing parameters, and

FIG. 11 is a fractional and sectional view of the transparent emblem anda light carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 there is shown an example of a sanitary environment, in whichthe present invention may be applied. A conventional bubble bath tub 10is arranged in e.g. a bathroom. A pump 20, consisting of a pump housing21 and a electric pump motor 22, is arranged in connection to the bubblebath tub 10. A suction pipe 23 is connected to the pump 20 and isarranged on the exterior of the bubble bath tub just above its bottomplane. An end of the suction pipe 23 facing away from the pump isconnected to a suction valve 24 in the bubble bath tub. A pressure pipe25 is also connected to the pump 20 and is arranged around the bubblebath tub along its circumference. A number of jet outlets 26 ofpreviously known design are connected to the pressure pipe 25 and areleading into the interior of the tub. The pump motor 22 is connected toa mains voltage of e.g. 230V, and the pump motor is arranged to drivethe pump 20 in a known fashion to suck in bathing water through thesuction valve 24 and the suction pipe 23 and to pump the water into thepressure pipe 25. The water will then flow under pressure through thepressure pipe and back into the bubble bath tub 10 through the jetoutlets 26. Thereby the bubbling effect is achieved, which has givenrise to the term bubble bath. Furthermore, the water may be mixed withair in a well-known way, before the water is fed through the jetoutlets. The degree of air in the outgoing water affects the intensityand shape of the water jet. For optimum comfort the water jet intensitymay be controlled by the bathing person.

As previously mentioned indication must take place, when the pump 20 isoperating. As a comparison a previously known control and indicationarrangement is shown in FIG. 2. The pump 20, the pump housing 21, andthe pump motor 22 are all equivalent to the ones shown in FIG. 1.Furthermore, the suction and pressure pipes 23, 25 are arranged as inFIG. 1. A touch control type control means 30 is arranged on the edge 11of the bubble bath tub for controlling the pump motor operation. A lightsource constituted by a light emitting diode is arranged in connectionwith said control means for indicating the pump operation by turning onthe light source. The control means as well as the light source areconnected to a circuit board 31, the purpose of which among other thingsis to supply the former with power. Due to the regulations describedabove the power supply may only take place at maximum 12V, and hence thecircuit board is provided with a transformer, the purpose of which is toconvert the mains voltage at 32 to a lower and harmless voltage.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a new way, according to a first preferredembodiment of the the invention, of providing remote control andindication of, for instance, the pump motor described above. The pump20, the pump housing 21, the pump motor 22, the suction pipe 23, and thepressure pipe 25 are all equivalent to the ones described above. Apneumatic control means 40 is mounted on the edge 11 of the bath tub forcontrolling the pump motor operation, said pneumatic control means beingpreviously known per se. By means of the control means 40 a switch inthe pump motor may be turned on and off, respectively, through an aircolumn in a hose 41. Furthermore, a fibre-optical light carrier 42 isarranged to indicate the pump motor operation. A first end 43 of thelight carrier is inserted into the interior of the upper part 28 of thepump motor 22 through a tight conduit entry, and a second end 44 of thelight carrier is connected to a hole 45 in the edge 11 of the bath tub.

According to FIG. 4 and 11 an emblem 35 is attached to the edge 11 ofthe bath tub 10. The back side 36 of emblem 35 is provided with holesfor reception of the pneumatic control means 40 and the second end 44 ofthe light carrier 42, respectively. Preferably, the emblem 35 isprovided with a flexible and transparent coating 37, made from e.g.polyurethane. Furthermore, the back side 36 may be provided with anadhesive in order to facilitate the attachment to the bath tub. Anydesired information or symbols may be printed on the emblem, such as acompany logotype (schematically shown as "[logo]" in the figures),informative texts describing the function being indicated by the lightcarrier (such as "pump on/off"), etc.

A light source 46 is according to FIG. 5 arranged at the first end ofthe light carrier 42 inside the pump motor housing. The light source 46and the first end of the light carrier 42 are firmly fixed by a tightconduit entry 47. To protect the light source 46 from damage due to highvoltages, for instance when the pump motor 22 is turned on or off, anover-voltage protection means 48 is arranged in parallel with the lightsource 46.

By means of suitable electric circuitry well-known to a man skilled inthe art the light source 46 is controlled in such a way, that the lightsource is turned on, when the pump 20 is in operation, and is turnedoff, when the pump 20 is not in operation. Hence, when the light sourceis turned on, light is emitted to the first end 43 of the light carrier42, said light then being guided through the light carrier to the secondend 44, which is visibly mounted on the bath tub edge 11 inside thetransparent emblem 35. In this way the pump motor operation is indicatedto a bathing person on an optical basis rather than an electrical one,thereby obviously eliminating the risk of an electrical accident.

According to the first preferred embodiment the light carrier 42consists of a homogeneous mono-filamentary cable of a polymericmaterial. The diameter of the cable is selected to 3 mm, but it isapparent that the diameter may be varied between e.g. 1 and 10 mm ormore depending on the actual application. Even the selection of materialmay be varied among the various optical carriers available on themarket. At present, the embodiment above is regarded to be the mostsuitable.

The light source 46 is preferably constituted by a conventional lightemitting diode (LED), which is able to transmit light within awavelength interval visible to the human eye, e.g. within the red,green, or yellow interval. However, also other simple sources of lightmay be used.

A second preferred embodiment of the invention will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. 6-9. In this embodiment the remote control andindication system utilises a combined light carrier and control line 50,which may be made from the same or similar material as the opticalcarrier 42 described above but which is provided with a tubular cavity51 along the central axis. The pump 20, the pump housing 21, the pumpmotor 22, the suction pipe 23, and the pressure pipe 25 are allequivalent to the ones described above. A combined control andindication means 52 is mounted on the edge 11 in connection with anemblem 35, said means 52 preferably being made from a transparent,flexible and air/liquid-tight material, such as any suitable mix ofrubber and plastics. The tubular cavity of line 50 is preferably filledwith air or a hydraulic liquid. By actuating the control and indicationmeans 52 (i.e. pressing it) the user may operate the pump motor at hisdesire via a hydraulic or pneumatic force in line 50, said forceactuating a pressure sensitive switch inside the pump motor housing. Atthe same time the operational status of the pump motor may be visuallyindicated to the user by means of the surrounding light-carrying partsof line 50. The control and indication means 52 is provided with ableeding nipple 53 for venting any air trapped inside the means.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a section inside the pump motor forreceiving the control and indication line 50 through a tight conduitentry 57. An expander gasket 59 provides an air/liquid-tight seal. Ableeding nipple 60 is provided for venting any undesired air trappedinside the device. Two sources of light 56a-b, preferably LEDs, areconnected to the first end of the control and indication line 50 underprotection from an over-voltage protection means 58. In a way similar tothe one described above the sources of light 56a-b are arranged to emitlight to the line 50 in response to the operational status of the pumpmotor, said light then being guided through line 50 to means 52, whereit is visible to the human eye of the user.

The tubular fluid-filled cavity 51 is connected to a means 61 fortransferring the pressure pulse received through line 50 (said pressurepulse being generated by the user when pressing the control andindication means 52) to a pressure-operated pump motor switch not shownin the figure.

Hence, the combined control and indication line 50 acts as abidirectional carrier of control signals (pressure pulses propagatingfrom means 52 at the bath tub edge 11 to the pump motor) and indicationsignals (light transmitted from the pump motor section to means 52),respectively.

The fluid in the tubular cavity 51 is advantegously constituted by afluorescent liquid in order to intensify the illuminating effect fromthe light transmitted through the surrounding parts of line 50.

As an alternative, the combined control and indication line 50 maycomprise a hollow tube or hose filled with a suitable fluid andfurthermore containing a thin optical fibre inside the tube or hose.

The remote control and indication system according to the invention mayoptionally embrace simultaneous control and indication of a plurality ofparameters and functions, in contrast to the examples above with onlyone control and indication function (switching the pump motor on andoff). In FIG. 10 there is shown an example of such an emblem 70comprising a plurality of control means 71 and indication means 72.

By means of a remote control and indication system according to theinvention, comprising simple and non-expensive components such as LEDs,optical fibres and pneumatic or hydraulic actuators and fluid lines, anelectric device may be controlled as well as monitored in a sanitaryenvironment in a way, which is harmless and which may be carried out ata substantially lower cost as compared to previously known devices, suchas the one shown in FIG. 2. Rough estimates of material costs show thata reduction of the material costs to one tenth of the original cost isquite possible. Furthermore, the emblem may easily be given any desiredshape, size or appearance, due to the simplicity in its design.

According to the above the present invention has been described asapplied to bubble baths. Within the scope of the invention, as definedin the appended patent claims, the invention may be applied in variousdifferent ways and according to various different embodiments. E.g., thecontrol and indication emblem 35, which according to the above has beendescribed as being attached to the edge 11 of the bubble bath tub, mayas an alternative be arranged at another place within the sanitaryenvironment, e.g. on a separate console or the like.

Furthermore, the invention is applicable also in other sanitaryenvironments, in which there is a need for a non-expensive and harmlessremote control and indication of an electric device used within thesanitary environment. Such examples are a steam generating device in asteam sauna, heating devices in various environments, cleaning ordisinfecting devices in swimming-pools, wave generating devices inso-called adventure bath sites, etc.

I claim:
 1. A remote control and indication system for an electricdevice (20, 22) in a sanitary environment, comprising:at least one lightcarrier (42; 50) for indicating operational status information about theelectric device to a user present in the sanitary environment, a firstend (43) of said light carrier receiving light from at least one lightsource (46; 56a-b) at said electric device in response to theoperational status of the electric device, and control means (40; 52)for controlling at least one function of the electric device (20, 22),said control means being connected to said electric device by at leastone pneumatic or hydraulic pressure line (41; 51), wherein said controlmeans (40; 52) and a second end (44) of said light carrier (42; 50) areadjacently arranged at a position in the sanitary environment, which isvisible and accessible to the user.
 2. A remote control and indicationsystem according to claim 1, further comprising at least one displayemblem (35; 70), said emblem being adapted to receive the second end(44) of said light carrier (42) and being mounted at said position,which is visible and accessible to the user.
 3. A remote control andindication system according to claim 2, further comprising a transparentand flexible coating (37) covering a front side of said emblem (35). 4.A remote control and indication system according to claim 2 or 3,wherein at least a part (37) of the emblem (35) is made frompolyurethane.
 5. A remote control and indication system according toclaim 2, further comprising an adhesive surface on the back side (36) ofthe emblem (35).
 6. A remote control and indication system according toclaim 1, further comprisinga combined control and light carrier line(50) of an optically transparent material, a first end of said linebeing connected to the electric device (20, 22) and a second end of saidline being connected to a pressure actuation means (52) at the position(11) in the sanitary environment, which is visible and accessible to theuser, and a tubular cavity (51) along the central axis of the line (50),said cavity containing a fluid for transferring an actuating force fromthe actuation means (52) to the electric device.
 7. A remote control andindication system according to claim 6, wherein said actuation means(52) is made from transparent rubber and/or plastic materials.
 8. Aremote control and indication system according to claim 1, furthercomprisinga combined control and light carrier line (50), a first end ofsaid line being connected to the electric device (20, 22) and a secondend of said line being connected to a pressure actuation means (52) atthe position (11) in the sanitary environment, which is visible andaccessible to the user, wherein said line (50) comprises a fluid fortransferring an actuating force from the actuation means (52) to theelectric device, and said light carrier (42; 50) is arranged inside saidline (50).
 9. A remote control and indication system according to claim6 or 8, wherein said fluid is a fluorescent liquid.
 10. A remote controland indication system according to claim 1, wherein the light carrier(42; 50) is constituted by a fibre-optical cable.
 11. A remote controland indication system according to claim 10, wherein the fibre-opticalcable (42; 50) consists of a homogenous mono-filamentary polymericmaterial and has a diameter of between 1 and 10 mm.
 12. A remote controland indication system according to claim 1, wherein the light source(46; 56a-b) is constituted by a light emitting diode.
 13. A remotecontrol and indication system according to claim 1, wherein the electricdevice (20, 22) comprises an electric pump motor (22), which is arrangedto drive a pump (20, 21, 22) for generating bubbles in a bubble bath tub(10).
 14. A remote control and indication system according to claim 1,wherein said second end (44) of the light carrier (42; 50) is connectedto the edge (11) of a bubble bath tub (10).